Opera chair



a. H. DAVIS V OPERA QHAIB Filed Aug. :2, 192a Feb; 25, 1930.

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UNITD STATES Patented Feb. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. DAvIs, 0E CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE OPERA. CHAIR Application filed August 22, 1928. Serial No. 301,333.

; 1o ly spaced to provide maximum seating capacv ity of the house, but this is done at the expense of convenience in seating thepatrons because'insufiicient room is allowed between the rows for a person to pass others who are already seated withoutthe latter rising.

For instance, it quite often happens that late arriving patrons must pass into the central portion of a row to reach their particular seats and in doing so discommode others already seated and perhaps'holding wearing apparel or other articles by obliging them to rise. And this may occur, not only once but several times before" the chairs arefinally filled; and with the foregoing in mind I have as a prime object the supplyingof a theatre chair which will eliminate this objectionable feature but at the sametimepermit of the rows being spacedas is usually done.

invention is to provide a chair having a bottom or seat pivotally connected to side frames I which may be swung from an axis located on the forward, upward portion of the-chair arms. I

Another object is to support the bottom at fixed points, forwardly and backwardly, so'as to relieve the strain on its pivotal connection when the person is normally seated in the chair. 7

Another object is to make the bottom collapsible, withthe rearward'portion free to swing downwardly when in retracted position, thus not greatly intruding on the space at the rear nor inconveniencing the person seated in the chair directly behind. I A further object is the provision made to secure the bottom and side frames rigidly to the chair arms so that when normally seated,the occupant, to all intents and purposes,

One of the specific objects of my present is provided with a solid, integrally built chair.

And a still further object resides in the parallel movement, backwardly, of the chair back, when the seat is retracted. This enables the occupant to remain in the same upright position and does not compel him to bend forwardly as is the case with'certain typesof folding chairs.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts capable of fulfilling the foregoing objects; and for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have prepared the accompanying drawings disclosing one embodiment which, at the present time, I consider preferable to other possible forms in which the invention might be carried out.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved F chair,the right arm being cut away and the bottom or seat shown in normal position; Fig. 2 is the same, except that the bottom and back are shown in retracted position;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary front elevation of the chair;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View thereof,-reduced in scale;

Fig.5 is a fragmentary plan view of the bottom, frames and arms;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6'6, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77, Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters are employed to identiy like parts throughout all the different views of the drawing.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 represents the legs and 2 the arms of the chair. Pivoted at axially aligning points 3, on the forward upper portions of the arms, are inside swinging frames 4,-one frame adjacent each arm, and lying between the frames is the chair bottom or seat 5, the latter being pivoted to the frames by the pins 6. The bottom is preferably made up of three pivotally connected sections, a, b and 0, the section 'a being arranged to swing-upwardly, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 for the purpose of providing a clear space between the rows of chairs for janitor service.

As will be observed by reference .to Fig. 1, the forward portion of the bottom rests on the lugs 9 and the rearward portion on the rolls 8.

Operable,-preferably, over the pin 6 i's a latch lever 10 which, when the bottom is normally positioned, engages the pin 11 secured in one of the arms of the chair, thus preventing anyginward or retractive movement of the bottom as well as of the side frames and back.

Swinging from its lower end over pins 12 which connect it with the two frames 4 is the chair back 13, and operable in a slot 1a made in each of the side extensions 15 of theback is a pin 16 one of which is fixed in and projects inwardly from each arm 2 of the. chair. The angle at which this slot 1a is disposed governs the movement of the chair back. as it moves upwardly, it being pl'acedat such an inclination as will hold the back at alltimes to a substantially constant angle with the floor.

In .Fig. 2 the bottom is shown in several retractecbpositions, that at w being tilted backwardly more than would ordinarily occur and in position 2 tipped forwardly in more or less of an exaggerated manner. It is conceivable, however, that in these two positions the bottom might conform 'to the body shape, respectively, of an extra long or an uncommonly short legged person as eitherp'ushed 'backwardly to retract the bot-- tom; but in most instances the bottom would probably assume the position as shown at y.

In each side of the bottom 5, section b, is a projecting pin 17 which engages an arcuate slot 18 in the respective frames 4. The object of t'hi-s construction is to provide a limit or stop to the oscillatory movement of the bottomrelative'to the frames. Closing the lower end 'of the slot 1 f limits the movement of the frames in one direction and closing it at the upper end restricts theirmovements in the opposite direction. I

In operating the chair, instead of meeting with the old conditions in which he would be obliged to rise to allow a person to pass, the occupant'simply raises the latch lever 10 so thatit becomes disengaged from the pin 11,-and pushes backwardly.

The bottom might remain in contact with the lugs 9 and swing arcuately with the frames 4, in which case'it would 'be removed from contact with the rolls 8; it would be more likely, however, that it would rise to a position shown at e the pivot pins 6 now carrying the whole load temporarily.

As the bottom retracts, the back 11 rises,

but the angularly disposed slot 14 holds it to constantparallel planes as it moves back- 7' wardly and upwardly.

' When the portion orsection 0 overhangs fact that the latter moves tangentiallyinla' substantially. horizontal direction, while the former partalres more largely of a vertically.

directed movement. 1 I

The occupant of the chair holds the bottom in its retracted position until the person has passed him and in advancing to its nor-.-

mal position the bottom is automatically 7 locked by the latch fever.

The cost of manufacture of my improved l theater chair will. be but, slightly in excess of the ordinary type folding-seat chair and itssuperior advantages'will, it is believed; I

justify and compel its adoption when-,de.--- 'manded by the theater going public.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- cut is: i

1. A chair comprising two fixed, horizontally disposed arms, a non-collapsible frame pivotally connected near its forward, upper corner to each ofthe respective and aforesaid arms, a bottom, including a plurality of pivotally connected 'SBCtlOIlS, disposed intergacent said frames, a pintle on each side of said bottom making pivotal connection with the said frame adjacent. thereto, and means to decrease the top length of said bottom by a V rearward, substantially horizontal movement thereof.

2. A chair comprisingtwo arms, a frame; disposed on. the innerfside of each-ofsaid arms, means to pivotally secure the said re;

3. A chair comprising two arms, a frame disposed on the inner side of each of said arms and adapted to oscillate therefrom at 1 its upper, "forward corner, 'a' multi-section bottom operable between said frames and pivotally secured. thereto intermediate itsfront andrear ends, a back having at the 7 lower end thereof pivotal connection with each of said frames, a forwardly extending portion on each side of said back having therein a downwardly and forwardly inclined slot, a pin in the rearward upper portion of each of said arms, each of said pins adapted to engage the said slot adjacent thereto, and means on said frames, other than its pivotal connection therewith, tosupport said bottom when disposed in its normal, forward position in said chair.

4. A chair comprising two arms, aframe pivotally secured to the inner side, and at a point near the upper, forward corner of each of said arms, a multi-section bottom disposed between said frames, pivotal connecting means between an intermediate section of said bottom and said frames, a back making pivotal connection with said frames at its lower end, means on said arms whereby support for and limitation of downward movement of the rearward end of said bottom may be provided means on said back co-acting with means on said arms to provide movement of said back in relatively parallel planes, a pin on one of said arms, and a latch lever on said bottom adapted to engage said pin and hold said bottom against backward movement in said chair;

5. A chair comprising two arms, a frame pivotally connected to each of said arms at their upper, forward corners, a bottom, including a plurality of pivotally attached sections, means to prevent downward bending of the forward section of said bottom on its pivot, means to prevent upward bending of the rearwardmost section on its pivot, a lug on the lower, forward end of each offsaid frames adapted to support the forward section of said bottom when in its normal, for,- wardly disposed position, a roll on each of said arms providing support for the rear wardmost section of said bottom when in A extreme advanced position in said chair.

6. A chalr comprising two arms, a frame disposed on the inner side of each of said a arms and making a swinging connection therewith at the forward, upper corner thereof, a bottom, including a plurality, at least three in number, of pivotally connected sections, disposed between said frames, a pin on each sideof the intermediate section of said bottom adapted to provide pivotal connection of said bottom with the respective frames, aninwardly disposed lug on the .lower forwardend of said frame, an arcuate slot in said frame, a pin on the side of said bottom engaging said slot, a pin in one of said arms, a latch lever on said bottom adapted to engage said last mentioned pin whereby said bottom may be locked against backward movement in said chair, a roll on each of said arms adapted, normally, to support the rearward end of said bottom and 

